Photoflash lamp



Sept 2, 1941- M. J. N. DE MARGH-TA 2,254,888

PHOTOFLASH LAMP Filed Jan. 26, 1940 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 2, 1941 vazsasiis rnoromsn LAMP Michael J. Neumann de Margitta, New York,

N. Y., assigner to Westinghouse Electric Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa.,

. a corporation oi Pennsylvania Application January 26. 1940,Serial No. 315,744 In Hungary September 5, 1939 4 Claims.

This application is a continuation in part of my prior applications for improvements in flashlamps, Serial No. 298,276, iiled Oct. 6, 1939, and Serial No. 302,023, led Oct. 30, i939.

The invention relates to photographic ilashlamps and particularly to a ashlamp and apparatus in connection therewith for automatically electing the used fiashlamp and replacing it with a new flashlamp.

An object of the invention is to provide a ilashlamp wherein the eiiect oi' the ilashing on the casing will start the ejection of the flashlamp from its position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism in combination with a special type of photoilash lamp for automatically and immediately reloading the ilashlamps in position when one has been nashed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view ci a camera loaded with my particular type of fiashlamp and a mechanism for automatically electing used flashlamps.

Fig. 2 is a view partly diagrammatic and partly in perspective of the electrical circuit and a preferred type of ashlamp.

Fig. 3 is a view mainly in transverse crosssection of the lower portion of the camera of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the action of the mechanism subsequent in time to that of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a slightly modiiied form of the electing device.

While commercial ashlamps have advanced the photographic art by making possible the taking of pictures in situations where otherwise sufilcient light is not available, yet the time taken in unscrewing the bulb and replacing the used bulb with another, has limited the number of pictures that can be taken in a given time. The result has been that there is a considerable lapse of time between 4pictures when the train ot events photographed has,y had a fast reaching climax. Newspaper readers are very familiar with the reproduction oi two or three flashlight pictures oi some scene of events where movies could not be taken. These two or three pictures would be accompanied by a considerable explanation of the intermediate action between the pictures reproduced. It is an object of my invention to provide means for rapidly taking a series oi pioof events can be recorded pictorially with the same camera.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated a familiar type of camera I0 with its lens and shutter H and various adjustments thereon. This camera I provide with a special casement attachment i2 whichmay be locatedconveniently on the bottom portion thereof by any suitable securing means. If the attachment islsold with the camera, it could be attached thereto by the dovetailed joint i3 illustrated in Fig. 3, so that the casing l2 could be removed when the iiashlamps are not to be utilized.

`In order to synchronize the shutter action with the fiashlamps, I provide an attachment I4 adjacent thc shutter actuating button or lever i5. This synchronizing attachment may have various forms, and one of these forms is illustrated perspectively in the ilrst ligure and diagrammatically in Fig. 2. This attachment comprises preferably a lever IB to be actuated by the photographer and the depression of this lever makes` first a contact with the connections I1 and il connected to a battery I9 and to the ilashlamp 20. This electrical contact is immediately iollowed by the action of the shutter. While the l shutter is being opened, the current from the tures by nashlamps so that the successive change battery has ignited the ignition means 2i, comprising preferably a filament coated with zirconium, aluminum or phosphorous powder. The ignition of this powder starts the rapid combustion of the line illm or wires 2l of aluminum or magnesium. By the time the combustion oi this material has reached its maximum light giving intensity, the shutter has been opened and is ready toclose.

My particular type of 4iiashlamp has a special property that permits its ready ejection from the camera by suitable auxiliary apparatus. My nashlamp, in particular, has a tough yet thin and flexible casing oi a plastic material such as celluloseacetate. As explained in myco-pending applications, other plastics may be used, but I prefer cellulose acetate because, in addition to its ilexibility and toughness, itis diillcult to burn. This enclosing envelope of cellulose acetate is illled with an active gas such as oxygen, and upon combustion of the material 22 the casing expands by reason of the increased volume of gas created by the burning of the materials and the increased temperature therein.

While many forms and shapes may be utilized for the fiashlamp, I prefer to utilize the elongated oblong shaped envelop'e disclosed in perspective in Fig. 2 and in cross-section in Fig. 3.

'v reta This ashlamp comprises preferably two sube stantially parallel dish-like portions 2t, 'l oi cellulose acetate welded or cemented upon the three edges or sides 23, d'and 25. The fourth side 23 preferably has its major portion between two metal clamps 29 and Bil, with a slight space of cellulose acetate for electrical insulation between theseltwo metal portions, Y

The metal clamps 29 arid 3o are connected on the exterior to the connections from il and it and also make contact to the connections Si and 32 through the casing to the igniting means 2l. The casing is preferably of cellulose acetate oi' a thickness of .005 to .02 inch, and the oxygen lling, in combination with the toughness or' the cellulose acetate, maintains it in the desired shape.

A series of these flashlamps are placed in the bottom compartment 33 of the lower attachment iii ci the camera. If desired, these 'lashlamps may have an intermediate sheet 3d pasted to the hack of each sheet. This sheet may be oi some opaque protecting material such as asbestos and this may be coated with a reflecting coating adjacent the ashlamp for eiciency in directing all the light towards the space in front of the camera. The reecting surface, of course, could be placed on either'the outside or inside of the bacls wall oi the ashlamp if desired.

The series of iiashlamps in the bottom part oi the casing bear against the back which would be normally pushed towards the iront of the compartment under the iniluence oi such meam as the spring connected to an extensionl oi the baci: t such as arm 35' fastened to a slide 35 which is connected to thebaclr 35. The move ment forward, however, is prevented by a ratchet means preierably attached to the slide 35", and this ratchet has the familiar double toothed stop with its teeth 39 and lil to permit the :movement forward oi the distance or" one of the teeth lll o the ratchet device. This stop Zit is pivoted just above the ratchet device and has the end opposite the ratchet attached to an arm entending to the lever i3 preferably pivoted .lust within the casing walls and having an exterior arm ll extending downward and making a re straining contact with the iront iace oi the ashlainp 2li. This lever can be made very thin so as not to interfere to any extent with the light sent forth from the nashlamp. Where a long il.. p is utilized, such as that illustrated in Fig. l, three levers Qd, it and il can maire contact with the top central portion and the bottom right and bottom left portions o the iront or the rst nashlamp. Any number of levers 4can be used. It will be noted that the casing i2 provides a convenient place for locating the battery l@ for energizing the ashlamps. The connections from this battery and the contacts lil and il and switch le extend to two metal clips e@ and 5l, on one edge 52 of the opening 53 to thiscompertinent S3 containing the ashlarnps. As the ashlamps are pressed forward under action or the device, the metal contact clamps 2s and il@ on the lamp will be pressed into contact with these connecting clips 5@ and 5i.

Fig. 3 illustrates the camera and ashlainp chamber ready for operation. The camera and :dashlamp are actauted by the actuating means it being pressed downward on the shutter actuating mechanism le andthe contacts l'l and it. The nashlamp. is ignited and Fig. 4 illustrates the point when the rst line ashlamp has reached its maximum interior pressure, which aeeaeae practically coincides with the maximum intensity of light produced therein. This maximum pres sure produces a bulging out oi the iront casing kthe distance oi a tooth di in the ratchet illustrated. This distance of travel is the thickness of one of the fiashlamps. As the rst ashlarnp slides forward, it slips downwardly and outward= ly from under the levers dil, da and ill. The clips 5@ and iii are not successful in retaining this ashlamp under this pressure because there is no Asimilar restraint on the opposite end of the iiashlarnp, which naturally falls rst. With the removal of this first ashlamp, the second nashlamp slides into place and the camera and flashlamp are'automatically set for the next picture from the same camera.

In Fig. i3 i have illustrated a slight modification oi the invention; in which a very long ashlarnp St is illustrated. This lamp til has projecting edges Si and 62 that are held by ends et and t@ of levers and @il pressing against these edges. These levers are pivoted in the sides of the casing @l having a central opening d8 for the iiashlarnps and actuating mechanism. The opposite ends of these levers are connected into one of a series ci notches of the ratchet devices't and l@ connected to a baci: ll pressing against the series oi elongated lashlernps lill. A spring 'l2 presses against this movable back li, but is restrained by the levers t3 and @el in the ratchet devices t@ and lil.

The property of my elongated flashlamp that l utilize in this construction is that the iiashing oi the bullo will bow the central portion oi the iiashlamp as indicated at i3, and this will remove the tip ends ti and t2 away from the restraining ends and 65 o the levers as illustrated at Si and B2'. The levers, in following this movement of the ends of the lamp, will move inward and permit the opposite ends lli and of these levers to slip to the next notch in the ratchet device SQ and lil. This movement ci the levers will permit the spring lf2 to push forward the back il the thickness oi the rlashlamp and expel the 'first used lashlamp. By the time the second ashlamp reaches the front of the opening t@ the restraining tip ends tt and t@ oi the levers will be in a position to hold it there.

in accordance with the patent statutes, I have described preferred embodiments of my invention. 'it is apparent, however, that many modiications may be made in the particular type ci apparatus and the rlashlamp to be attached thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, I desire only such limitations to be placed upon my invention as are necessitated 'by the spirit and scope of the iollowing claims.

l claim:

l. il casing, a plurality of flashlamps therein having exible envelopes expanding when flashed, means for flashing the flashlamps and means responsive to the expansion of the envelope for automatically ejecting a ilashlainp from said casing.

2. A casing, a pluralityor iiashlamps having flexible envelopes arranged one behind the other within said casing and adjacent an opening thereof, electrical connections on said casing for making contact to the nrst oi said ashlamps,

and means responsive to the expansion of the flexible envelope ot the iirat ashlamp upon lashing to cutomaticalvly eject it from the casv in' a`. A ming, a plurnimy of nnsnlnmps having ilexible envelopes arranged one behind the other within ma ming and ndjncent an opening 5 thereof. electrical connections on said casing for making contact to the ilrst of -said ilashlsmps, and menus responsive to the expansion of the ilexible envelope oi' the rst nashlgmp upon lshing to automatically eject it from the casing, una to autoinmune' replace it with 'me next iluhlnm MICHAEL J.' NEUMANN- DE MARGI'I'IA. 

